My engagement story

I have been reading a lot of engagement stories recently and decided to write ours. Unlike some folks, I didn't know we were getting engaged and marriage...well, it wasn't even something we really discussed.

Brian and I had been going out for 3 years already and were very comfortable with our arrangements. He had been having problems with the company he was in though, and the fact that Manila, well, for as much as it had been good to him, he was missing home. He was thinking about leaving the company, which also meant he probably would be going back to the US. It was about November 1998 then and we started talking about what would happen to us.

I had a Team Building outing with folks at the Australian Embassy and left for 3 days. During that time, I took the time to really think about what we were going to do. Neither of us had talked about marriage and we were really focused on in our careers. I thought the best thing for both of us was to try to work out a long distance relationship first and see how that goes. If after living apart we realized we loved each other too much, we can see what we can do; if not, then I suppose, the break up would be simpler (painful, but simpler).

When I got back, I told him what I thought and he agreed. The next week, he left for his Christmas holiday - he usually spends it with his family in Utah. That trip, he was going to visit his old friends on the way home, his best friend in Texas, a good friend in San Francisco and another close friend in Colorado. I was going to meet his family for the first time the day after Christmas so it was going to be our first holiday with each other as well.

He called regularly and if I wasn't at work, he would leave a looooong message on my voice mail, which made me smile when I heard it. One time, we were chatting and he said, his mom wanted to give me a Mormon ring as a Christmas gift. Being a devout Catholic and very active in the church, I was hesitant, until he told me it doesn't really signify being a member of the church of Mormons but just a nice ring. He needed my ring size, then asked if I preferred it in silver, gold or white gold. I told him several times his mom didn't need to do it, but he said she wanted to do it for me.

Anyway, I forgot about that whole exchange days later when in between work, Christmas shopping and family reunions I had to pack and go to Utah. After 23 hours of travel, I was finally in Salt Lake City, I took my carry-all and wheeled it out the plane. I stepped out to find Brian and his dad there - for some reason his Dad was filming my arrival. I thought it odd but smiled anyway.

The next conversation went this way:
Brian: How was the flight?
Jetlagged me: Loong, I'm so tired..I barely understand you.
Brian: Well, can you understand if I ask you a question?
Me: Sure (already preparing to answer the question which I was sure was the, 'how much luggage did you bring?' question).
Brian: (pulling out a small box from his shirt pocket) Blosh grish na whoo?
Me: (looking at him strangely and then looking at the box in his hand) What?

Then I realized what was in his hand, it was a gorgeous diamond ring, the setting was beautiful, it was perfect! If I had to choose a ring, I would've chosen that ring. I realized then, what he was asking...I hugged him tight and we hugged for a long time. We didn't stop until his dad asked, "Brian, was that a yes?"

Brian looked at me and asked me if it was and I said yes.

It wasn't planned, wasn't talked about, wasn't even what we agreed to do, but deep inside, we knew we were meant to do it. We planned a year's engagement and got married on March 18, 2000 in LA.

Now, 5 years later, we're set to do it all over again...this time in church and in front of family and friends in Manila.